Hu Tao Is Monetizing My Existence. [73]

After throwing out a few ruthless words, the Treasure Hoarder members didn’t give Jiang Bai any chance to continue arguing.

The gravedigger scooped up a shovel of dirt from the ground, attempting to obscure Jiang Bai’s vision so his teammates could easily subdue him.

But what they didn’t expect was that this young man actually had decent reflexes, deftly dodging the dirt thrown at him.

“Hey! You dare dodge?!”

But his evasive action only further angered them. The Pyroslinger hurled a glass bottle at him, and as it shattered, flames immediately surged upward, attempting to engulf Jiang Bai in fire.

Jiang Bai felt his temper rising.

Initially, he’d thought they were just after money, but he’d clearly underestimated their cruelty. These guys weren’t even thinking about the consequences!

If that potion-soaked bottle hit him, he’d suffer severe burns, and it wouldn’t be something easily put out.

A golden shield appeared around Jiang Bai. The incoming glass bottle bounced harmlessly off it, shattering as flames spread quickly across the grass—but leaving the person within completely unharmed.

“I told you I didn’t have anything valuable on me. Why don’t you guys believe me?”

Jiang Bai’s expression hardened inside the shield, and he pulled out a massive spiked club.

Under the reflection of the flames, red fire ignited in his eyes.

Li Si only saw darkness before losing consciousness.

The other two instantly realized they’d messed with someone dangerous. Panicked, they threw down a smoke bomb and scattered like frightened birds, desperate not to be knocked out like their companion.

“Director, don’t let them escape!” Jiang Bai called out.

“You think you need to tell me that?”

Having finished watching the show, Hu Tao tossed aside her melon seed shells, executed a beautiful backflip through the air, and landed gracefully in front of the fleeing Treasure Hoarders, blocking their escape route.

Her spear materialized in her hands, held horizontally in front of them.

“You dare rob my subordinate? Go ahead, choose your farewell package…”

The two tried to resist, but their pathetic fighting skills were no match for Hu Tao, and she swiftly knocked them unconscious.

Jiang Bai dragged Li Si over, tossing him together with his fallen comrades.

“Director, what should we do with these guys?”

“Tie all three of them up together!”

Following Hu Tao’s instructions, Jiang Bai used rope to bind the trio tightly to a nearby tree.

“Wake them up. This Director has to give them a thorough lesson on morality!”

Jiang Bai nodded, promptly delivering a solid slap to each, bringing them back to consciousness.

The three woke up dazed, their faces and heads aching. Seeing the two intimidating figures glaring at them and realizing they were tied up, confusion and panic filled their eyes.

“What are you doing?! Do you know who we are? Untie us immediately!” The Pyroslinger still hadn’t grasped the reality of the situation and continued spouting threats as he struggled.

“Oh? Then who exactly are you?” Hu Tao leaned forward, gazing down at him. Her plum blossom-shaped pupils reflected two sparks, and an overwhelming pressure descended instantly.

Gulp—

The Pyroslinger swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling fear.

“We’re members of the Treasure Hoarders! Do you understand the consequences of capturing us?” he bluffed, invoking the name of his organization.

Hu Tao placed one foot against the tree trunk and pulled away the cloth covering his face, revealing a weathered-looking man in his thirties.

“Oh? And what consequences would those be? You’re talking so tough, yet you’re wearing a mask—scared someone might recognize you?”

Watching Hu Tao’s domineering presence, Jiang Bai felt like she resembled a gang boss bullying her captives.

As a loyal subordinate, he naturally couldn’t fall behind.

He swiftly tore off the masks from the other two captives as well.

His wolf-toothed club, [Debate Club], glinted menacingly in the light, exuding a threatening aura.

Seeing the spiked club’s intimidating presence, Li Si nervously glanced away, silently wishing he could smack the idiot who’d kept talking tough.

Can’t he clearly see our situation?! Such lack of self-awareness!

Jiang Bai noticed that people in this world were surprisingly durable. After taking a blow from him, Li Si had only ended up with a swollen head and no serious injuries.

Similarly, the two knocked out by the Director also seemed perfectly fine, still capable of loudly protesting their innocence.

“Go on, what consequences exactly?” Hu Tao pressed on relentlessly, clearly intending to hold them accountable until she received a satisfying answer.

Li Si hastily interjected, desperate to stop his clueless companion from spewing more nonsense.

“Mercy! Mercy! We failed to recognize greatness! You noble warriors, please spare us!”

Jiang Bai tilted Li Si’s chin upward, scrutinizing him carefully and clicking his tongue mockingly, “Do you really think a simple apology like that will get you off the hook? You don’t look attractive, but your imagination sure is!”

“When you attacked me earlier, didn’t you think about the situation you’d be in now?”

As the person who’d nearly gotten injured, Jiang Bai vividly recalled their merciless aggression earlier.

Even though the people of this world were resilient enough to shrug off his blows without serious harm, hadn’t they considered the pain he’d experience?

“Great heroes, please spare us! We didn’t want to do this! I’m being forced into it! I have elderly parents at home and children who are starving! I’m the sole provider, and I’ve lost my job! Out of desperation, I became a bandit just to get some money for milk powder!” Li Si started pleading pitifully, weaving a tragic tale that nearly included a runaway wife.

“Same here! Becoming a bandit wasn’t my choice either…” the gravedigger quickly joined in the tragic storytelling.

Seeing his two companions resorting to pity, even the Pyroslinger was forced to abandon his pride and follow suit.

“M-Me too…”

Jiang Bai rolled his eyes silently. Their performance was painfully amateurish.

Can’t they at least shed a tear or two for authenticity?

He leaned closer to Hu Tao and pretended to whisper conspiratorially, “Director, these guys seem pitiful. Maybe we should…”

The three captives immediately strained their ears, eager to overhear their captors’ plans.

Hu Tao’s eyes brightened at Jiang Bai’s suggestion, nodding enthusiastically, “Good idea, good idea! That’s perfect!”

“Qiqi, I have a mission for you!” Jiang Bai chuckled slyly, summoning Qiqi over.

“What… should I do?” Qiqi looked at him blankly.

Jiang Bai pulled out a few feathers from his pocket, remnants he’d gathered from a bird’s nest while gathering eggs earlier.

“Help me remove their shoes and socks,” Jiang Bai instructed with a wicked grin, brandishing the feathers.

Qiqi blinked once, nodding obediently. “Okay.”

Realizing something terrible was about to happen, the bound trio began struggling frantically.

Unfortunately, once Qiqi acted, resistance was futile. She easily removed their footwear.

Instantly, an indescribably foul odor permeated the air.

—

This is a fan translation of 胡桃拿我冲业绩 by 余溯. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!